Means for supplying buttons to a sewing point



MEANS FOR SUPPLYING BUTTONS TO A SEWING POINT Filed Oct. 10, 1962 Nbv. 17, 1964 B. BRONFMAN 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. BENJAMIN BRONFMAN ATTORNEY Nov. 17, 1964 B. BRONFMAN 3,157,311

MEANS FOR SUPPLYING BUTTONS TO A SEWING POINT Filed Oct. 10, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 20 :3 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. BENJAMIN BRONFMAN BY m ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,157,311 MEANS FOR UPLYNG BUTTQNS T0 A SEWING PGHNT Benjamin llronfman, 3395 Colony Drive, Baldwin, N.Y. Filed Oct. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 229,656 8 Qlaims. (Cl. 221-186) This invention relates to button feeding devices and in particular to a method and device for supplying buttons to a sewing point.

An object of the invention is to provide a device that will supply buttons quickly and easily to a sewing point and enable the simple yet rapid removal of such buttons from the sewing point after the completion of the sewing operation, all of this capable of being accomplished without the use of complex ejector, button moving and positioning mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact inexpensive device that permits buttons to move into sewing position by virtue of their own weight and then apply a force to the button in sewing position to hold it there during the sewing operation.

In this respect, another object and novel feature of the invention resides in the method of handling buttons to properly position them for sewing and in the device for accomplishing the method whereby buttons are held only when properly positioned for sewing and released when the button is ready to be removed from the sewing position.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures and arrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the device constructed according to the teaching of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a partial cross section of FIG. 1 as shown by the lines 22,

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross section of FIG. 2 taken along lines 4-4 and illustrating a button held in position prior to being sewn,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the button after it is sewn and before it is removed from the device,

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the sewn button being removed from the deviceand a new button moving into position for sewing, and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with a new button shown in position to be sewn and about to be held in such position.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 10 is used to generally identify the device for supplying buttons to a sewing point. The sewing point is illustrated in the present invention at the anvil 12 of any conventional type of sewing machine. The anvil 12 is aligned with a sewing needle 14 that projects downwardly from the sewing machine head 16. Afiixed to the underside of the head 16 of the sewing machine is a bracket 18, all of which form part of the sewin machine that may be of conventional construction and none of the details thereof are intended to form any part of the present inventive device It) other than that they are utilized during the operation of such device.

The device it) comprises a button chute that is composed of a raceway and guideway. The chute raceway is defined by a face plate 20 that is laterally spaced from and connected with a apir of guide plates 22a and 22b. The guide plates are held in lateral spaced relationship from the face plate 20 by a plurality of spacer bolts 24 that also serve to hold the guide plates 22a and 22b spaced from each other to define the button guideway 26 in which the shanks of the buttons are guided for movement along the length of the chute. The heads of the buttons movable in the chute are positioned in the raceway defined between the guide plates 22a and 22b and the face plate 20 by the spacer bolts 24. In practice, the chute of the device It is pivotally connected to a button supply line 28 (see FIGS. 1 and 3) that is connected to a hopper (not shown). Although the terms raceway and guideway are employed to refer to different details of the composite button chute, this is done for convenience of explanation only. It is to be understood that these terms may, at times, be used interchangeably without varying the scope of the disclosure or the invention.

The buttons are supplied from the hopper to the supply line 28 and then enter with the heads positioned freely in the raceway between the face plate 20 and the guide plates 22a and 22b while the shanks of the buttons are guided in the chute guideway 26 provided between the two guide plates 22a and 22b. The chute for the buttons is inclined downwardly and the buttons are free to slide downwardly therealong by reason of their own weight. The two guide plates 22a and 22b terminate at their lower ends in upper and lower spaced fingers 22c and 22d respectively. The point in the chute that is in alignment with the vertically disposed sewing needle 14- and above the sewing anvil i2 is denoted, for convenience, as the sewing position of the chute. For ease of explanation, the center line 30 depicts the line of travel of the needle 14 and at the point where the needle enters the anvil 12, the same is denoted the sewing point.

A stop member 32 is pivoted at 34 to the back surface of the face plate 20. A spring or other form of yieldable means as is connected to one end of the stop mem ber 32 to constantly urge the same into button stopping relationship with buttons sliding in the chute. The stop member 32 includes a finger 38 that has a cam surface 40 adapted to engage the shank of each button as it slides down the guideway 26 of the chute. As each button slides down and reaches the sewing position in the chute, it abuts the cam surface 40 of the stop member 32. Thus, it is stopped in its sliding movement at the sewing position of the chute and is there retained until physically and manually removed from the chute raceway and guideway.

A clamping or holding structure, generally identified by the numeral 42, includes a clamping element 44 that is pivoted at 46 to the underside of a lateral extension 48 formed on the back of the face plate 26. The clamping element 44 has an enlarged face 50 that faces the fingers 22c and 22d and is adapted to be physically moved into obstructing relationship with the button raceway of the chute. The face 5%) is normally and constantly urged out of such obstructing relationship by a spring or other yieldable urging means 52 (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5).

The clamping element 44 is actuated to operate in opposition to the normal constant urging of the spring 52 by an actuator member 54. The actuator member 54 includes a stem 55 that terminates at its lower end in a cam surface 58. The cam surface 58 is in the shape of a frustum of a cone, tapering upwardly. Mounted in position about the stem 56 is a constant yielding means in the form of a spring 60 that tends to urge the head of the actuator member 54 upward toward and into engagement with the bracket 18 affixed to the sewing machinehead 16. The actuator member 54- is held to and extends through the laterally extending bracket 48 by a nut 62 having a threaded extension 64. Thus, the spring 60 is under tension between the nut 62 and the head of actuator member 54 and thereby tends to move the head of the actuator member upward toward engagement with the bracket 18.

The back of the face plate 29 of the device 10 is provided with a bracket 66 in which an adjustment device in the form of a screw 68 is locked in place by a set screw 70. The adjustment screw 68 is adapted to be threadably adjusted in the bracket 66 so that it may extend greater and lesser distances therebelow. The head of the screw 68 serves as a base or adjustable foot for the device 10 when the same is lowered for sewing and permits the proper positioning of the shank of the button located in sewing position in the chute guideway 26 with respect to the anvil 12 and the sewing point thereof. The foot 68 also raises and lowers the sewing position relative to the sewing point without affecting their vertical alignment so the button head does not engage or touch the bed of the machine and, therefore, its sewing hole is not disturbed or moved out of the sewing path.

In operation, buttons are supplied to the device 10 from the supply line 28. The buttons shown in the drawings are of the shank type wherein the head of the button is freely slidable in the raceway space formed between the guide plates 22a and 22b and the adjacent surface of the face plate 2% The shanks of the buttons are guided in their sliding movement downwardly along the length of the raceway in the guideway 26 defined between the two guide plates 22:! and 22b. As the buttons slide down the chute, the lowermost button will abut the cam surface 40 of the stop finger 38. The lowermost abutting button A (FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6) will thereby have its shank and the hole in the shank automatically located in sewing position in the chute between the fingers 22c and 22d.

In order to enable the buttons to slide down the chute by reason of their own weight alone, the chute is initially raised off the anvil 12 and the sewing point of the sewing machine by any conventional member such as that commonly used (not shown) to move the presser foot in a sewing machine to raise and lower the same. During the raising or lifting of the chute, the head of the actuator member 54, becomes engaged with the bracket 18 of the sewing machine. It is then stopped in its upward movement with the chute and then begins to move relatively downward with respect to the remaining structure of the chute. That is to say that as the remaining structure of the chute is lifted progressively upward with respect to the anvil 12 and the bracket 18, because the actuator member 54 is engaged with the bracket 18, it cannot move upward further with the chute. Hence, it moves relatively downward with respect to the chute. As the chute is moved progressively upward, the clamping element 44 is moved with it and thus rides upwardly along and relative to the decreasing taper of the cam surface 58 of the actuator member 54. During this relative upward riding movement, the spring 52, constantly acting upon and urging the clamping element 44, operatively removes the face 50 of the clamping element from obstructing relationship with the chute raceway. The removal of the clamping element face 50 from obstructing the raceway permits the buttons to slide downward unobstructed along the chute into sewing position between the fingers 22c and 22:1 to be stopped in their movement by the cam surface 49 of the stop finger 38.

Thereafter, the chute with its attendant details is lowered toward the anvil 12 and the sewing point of the sewing machine. The lowering movement of the chute causes the clamping element 44 to move downwardly along and relative to the enlarging tapered cam surface 58 of the actuator member 54. This relative downward movement progressively overcomes the normal urging of the spring 52 and thereby physically causes the clamping element to pivot at 46 and to move its face 50 into progressively stronger and tighter engagement with the head of the button A located in the sewing position in the chute to force the shank side of the button head into tight engagement with the fingers 22c and 22d.

During the lowering of the chute toward the anvil 12 and the sewing point of the sewing machine, the shank of the button A in sewing position in the chute is brought down to rest upon the fabric 72 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 6) preparatory to being sewn thereto. In order to prevent the enlarged head of the button A from engaging the bed or surface 74 (M65. 1 and 2), the height of screw 68 is adjusted below the bracket 66 of the chute so that it rests upon the machine bed and, therefore, prevents the button head from engaging the same. Adjustment of the screw 68 compensates for buttons of different head sizes by lifting them off the machine bed 74 and properly positioning their button shanks on the fabric 72 at the sewing point. When the chute is dropped to its lowermost position such that the shank of the button A is properly positioncd at the sewing point of the sewing machine on the fabric 72 seated on the anvil 12, the clamping element 44 will be engaged with the widest or lowermost camming portion of the cam surface 58 of the actuator member 54 and thus will be physically yet positively moved into tight retaining or clamping engagement with the head of the button A located in sewing position in the chute, clamping the shank side of the button against the fingers 22c and 22d.

The solid lines of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 depict the parts of the device 19 in the position just described wherein the button is ready to be sewn to the fabric 72. During the time that the button is sewn to the fabric, it is positively held in sewing position at the sewing point between the enlarged face 50 of the clamping element 44 and the chute fingers 22c and 22d as shown in FIG. 4. It is so retained in place until the sewing operation is completed and the chute is once again lifted or raised upwardly from the sewing point of the sewing machine. This position is depicted in FIG. 5 wherein the button A is shown sewn by threads 76 to the fabric 72 with the chute lifted off the anvil 12 and above the sewing point thereof. It will be noted, and as previously described, that as the chute is lifted, a relative movement occurs between the cooperating surface of the clamping element and the engaging cam surface 58 of the actuator member 54 such that the engaging surface of the clamping element 44 moves relatively upward and along the cam surface to the narrower portion thereof thereby permitting the constant urging of the spring 52 to operate the clamping element to progressively release its retaining force on the head of the button A just sewn and to unclamp or release its retention of the same in the sewing position. Thus, in FIG. 5, the enlarged head 50 of the clamping element 44 is illustrated to be free of engagement with head of the just sewn blllltwll A to enable the same to be removed from the c ute.

The just sewn button A is removed from the lowermost end of the chute simply and quickly in response to a sli ht force applied on the fabric 72 in the direction of arrow 73 by the machine operator. This force applied to the fabric 72 carries the button A with it. As the button A is removed from the sewing point with the fabric 72 by the machine operator, its shank applies a camming force on the abutting cam surface 40 of the stop finger 38. This causes a camming action on the surface 40 to lift it and its stop member 32 causing the same to fulcrum about its pivot 34 in opposition to the normal urging of the spring 36 and lift upward as shown by the broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 3, permitting the shank of the button to pass therebeneath. This movement is depicted also in FIG. 6 wherein the sewn shank of the button A has just passed beyond the stop finger 38.

Because the face 50 of the clamping element 44 is urged out of obstructing relationship with the chute raceway, at that time the raceway is unobstructed and the next adjacent button B slides downwardly along the chute until its shank abuts the cam surface 40 of the stop finger 38 that has immediately returned to its normal stopping relationship with respect to the chute guideway 26. The location of the new button B in the sewing position is illustrated in FIG. 7. Hence, the next adjacent button B is now stopped in its sliding movement downwardly along the chute at the sewing position of the chute where it is aligned with the sewing point of the sewing machine. Once again, the chute is lowered causing a relative movement between the clamping element 44 and the actuator member 54 to result in the physical pivoting and displacement of the enlarged face 5%) and operation thereof into the button retaining and clamping position in opposition to the normal urging operation of the spring 52 as shown again in FIG. 4.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, there-fore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine having a sewing point, a fixed bracket and a mover member, the improvement comprising a chute movable by said move-r member to and away from the sewing point and having a raceway along which buttons are supplied to the sewing point, means on said chute to releasably stop buttons in said raceway at the sewing point, clamp means movable with said chute and ivoted thereon to a position to engage a button stopped in said raceway by said stop means when said chute is moved to the sewing point, said clamp means being movable to a position to release a button when said chute is moved away from the sewing point, means urging said clamp means to pivot to its button releasing position, an actuator including a cam surface engageable with said clamp means and slidable relative thereto for the operation of said clamp means between button engaging and releasing positions, said clamp means being movable with said chute away from said sewing point, said actuator being mounted on and movable with said chute away from the sewing point and engaging said bracket which stops the movement of said actuator with said chute and causes said actuator to move relative to said chute to move said cam surface relative to and along said clamp means to enable said urging means to pivot said clamp means to its button releasing position.

2. In a sewing machine having a bracket fixed thereon and a mover member, the improvement comprising a chute having a raceway in which but-tons slide, said chute being movable in two directions by said mover member, an actuator on said chute for movement therewith in said two directions and relative thereto, means on said actuator urging the same for movement with said chute when the same moves in one of said two directions and yieldable when said actuator engages said bracket to enable said actuator to be stopped in its movement while said chute continues its movement relative to said actuator, a clamp on said chute movable between positions to clamp and release a button in sm'd chute, said clamp actuator cooperatively engaging each other whereby said clamp is actuated thereby to button clamping position and enabled to move to button releasing position, said clamp being movable with said chute and movable relative to said actuator when said actuator is stopped by said bracket so that the relative movement of said chute and actuator allows said clamp to move to a position to release a button in said chute, and means urging said clamp to its button releasing position and for cooperative engagement with said actuator.

3. In a sewing machine having a sewing point, a fixed bracket and a mover member, the improvement comprising a chute having a raceway along which buttons slide, said chute being movable by said mover member toward and away from the sewing point, a button clamp pivoted on said chute for movement therewith and relative to said raceway to clamp a button therein when the chute is moved to the sewing point and to release a button when said chute is moved away from the sewing point, means on said chute urging said clamp to pivot to constantly release a button, an actuator on and movable with said chute and engaging said clamp to provide for the operation of said clamp to clamp and release a button, yieldable means on said actuator to cause the same to move with said chute and with said clamp, said yieldable means enabling said actuator to be stopped by its engagement with said bracket when said chute is moved away from the sewing point while said chute and clamp continue their movement away from the sewing point and relative to said stopped actuator, and a tapered cam surface on said actuator slidingly engaging said clamp during the movement of said clamp relative to the stopped actuator to allow said clamp to release a button.

4. In a sewing machine having a sewing point, a bracket fixed on the machine and a mower member, the improvement comprising a chute movable by said mover member to and away from the sewing point and having a raceway along which buttons slide to be supplied to the sewing point, means movable on said chute to releasably stop a button sliding along said raceway to the sewing point, a clamp movable with said chute to clamp a button therein at said sewing point, an actuator on said chute movable therewith and operatively connected with said clamp to cause the same to clamp a button, said actuator being movable relative to said chute and said clamp, means between said actuator and chute to move said actuator with said chute until said actuator abuts said bracket and is stopped in its movement thereby and being yieldable to enable said chute and clamp to move relative to said stopped actuator, a cam surface on said actuator slidably engaging said clamp during said relative movement to move said clamp to clamp a button at said sewing point, and means between said clamp and chute to move said clamp to release its clamp of a button at said sewing point.

5. In a sewing machine having a mover member and a bracket fixed thereon, the improvement comprising a chute adapted to be raised by said mover member and having a raceway along which buttons slide, a clamp on said chute to be raised therewith and movable to releasably clamp a button in said raceway, means moving said clamp to release a button in said raceway, a stop member on said chute to releasably stop a button in said raceway, an actuator on said chute to be raised therewith and with said clamp and being engageable with said bracket to be stopped thereby while allowing said chute and clamp to continue to be raised relative thereto, said actuator and clamp being operatively connected to cause said clamp to clamp a button, and a cam surface on said actuator for movement therewith, said cam surface being sloped downward and outward and operatively engaging said clamp during the raising movement of said chute and clamp relative to said stopped actuator to allow' said clamp to be moved by said clamp moving means to release a button.

6. In a sewing machine having a sewing point, a bracket fixed thereon and a mover member, the improvement comprising a chute having a raceway along which buttons slide, said chute being movable by said mover member up and down from and to the sewing point, stop means on said chute to stop a button sliding in said raceway, clamp means movable with said chute to release and clamp a stopped button in said raceway, actuator means on said chute having a cam surface movable up and down with said chute and with said clamp means, said cam surface being operatively connected with said clamp means where by said clamp means is moved to clamp and to release a button in said raceway during relative movement between said cam surface and clamp means, means yieldingly urging said clamp means to release a button and to urge the same for operative connection with said cam surface, said actuator means being cooperable with said bracket to cause said cam surface to move relative to said clamp means when said chute is moved upward from the sewing point to allow said clamp means to be urged by said yielding means to release a button.

7. In a button supply device, a button chute along which buttons are adapted to slide, stop means on said chute to releasably stop a button therealong, clamp means on said chute for movement to clamp and release a button stopped therealong, cam means movable on said chute, yieldable means constantly urging said clamp means to move in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said cam means to release a button, a conically shaped cam surface on an end of said cam means for movement therewith transversely relative to said clamp means, said conically shaped cam surface engaging said clamp means during the transverse relative movement to move said clamp means in opposition to said yielding means to engage a button and to allow said clamp means to be moved by said yieldable means to release a button, and yielding means on said cam means to move the same to cause said cam surface to move said clamp means to engage a button.

8. In a button supply device, a button chute having a raceway in which buttons slide, stop means movably mounted on said chute to releasably stop a button in said raceway, clamp means on said chute movable in a plurality of directions to alternately clamp and release a button stopped in said raceway, cam means on said chute movable in one direction to move said clamp means to clamp a button and movable in another direction to allow said clamp means to release a button, the movement of said clamp and cam means being in directions relatively transverse to each other, means urging said clamp means for engagement with said cam means during their relative transverse movements and to move said clamp means to release a button, yieldable means urging said cam means in one direction for engagement with said clamp means,

said cam and clamp means each having surfaces thereon engageable during their relative transverse movement, said cam surface on said said cam means being tapered to engage said cam surface on said clamp means to move the same in one direction of the relative transverse movement of said cam means to cause said clamp means to clamp a button and in another direction of relative transverse movement of said clamp and cam means to allow said clamp means to release a button.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,069 12/39 Gookin 221-188 2,918,885 12/59 Broderson 221-486 X FOREIGN PATENTS 148,511 10/52 Australia.

References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 373,330 11/87 Bennett.

690,329 12/01 Thomson. 1,020,949 3/ 12 Horton. 1,238,587 8/17 Smith. 1,255,529 2/ 18 Hagelstein. 1,931,830 10/33 Rich. 2,597,912 5/52 Troll. 2,830,549 4/58 Troll. 2,843,069 7/58 Halbreich. 2,931,327 4/60 Broderson. 2,960,049 11/60 Guedry. 3,042,255 7 62 Halbreich. 3,089,443 5/ 63 Asnes.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH N. LEIMER, Examiner. 

1. IN A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A SEWING POINT, A FIXED BRACKET AND A MOVER MEMBER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A CHUTE MOVABLE BY SAID MOVER MEMBER TO AND AWAY FROM THE SEWING POINT AND HAVING A RACEWAY ALONG WHICH BUTTONS ARE SUPPLIED TO THE SEWING POINT, MEANS ON SAID CHUTE TO RELEASABLY STOP BUTTONS IN SAID RACEWAY AT THE SEWING POINT, CLAMP MEANS MOVABLE WITH SAID CHUTE AND PIVOTED THEREON TO A POSITION TO ENGAGE A BUTTON STOPPED IN SAID RACEWAY BY SAID STOP MEANS WHEN SAID CHUTE IS MOVED TO THE SEWING POINT, SAID CLAMP MEANS BEING MOVABLE TO A POSITION TO RELEASE A BUTTON WHEN SAID CHUTE IS MOVED AWAY FROM THE SEWING POINT, MEANS URGING SAID CLAMP MEANS TO PIVOT TO ITS BUTTON RELEASING POSITION, AN ACTUATOR INCLUDING A CAM SURFACE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CLAMP MEANS AND SLIDABLE RELATIVE THERETO FOR THE OPERATION OF SAID CLAMP MEANS BETWEEN BUTTON ENGAGING AND RELEASING POSITIONS, SAID CLAMP MEANS BEING MOVABLE WITH SAID CHUTE AWAY FROM SAID SEWING POINT, SAID ACTUATOR BEING MOUNTED ON AND MOVABLE WITH SAID CHUTE AWAY FROM THE SEWING POINT AND ENGAGING SAID BRACKET WHICH STOPS THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ACTUATOR WITH SAID CHUTE AND CAUSES SAID ACTUATOR TO MOVE RELATIVE TO SAID CHUTE TO MOVE SAID CAM SURFACE RELATIVE TO AND ALONG SAID CLAMP MEANS TO ENABLE SAID URGING MEANS TO PIVOT SAID CLAMP MEANS TO ITS BUTTON RELEASING POSITION. 